


In the moonlight, you have power

by AzcaSky



Category: Monsta X (Band)
Genre: Changki Bingo, Fluff, M/M, Magical, a little hyunghyuk if you squint, darkness minhyuk, dryad hyungwon, mythical creatures AU, naiad kihyun, siren changkyun, smut is implied but not really addressed
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-27
Updated: 2019-02-27
Packaged: 2019-11-06 14:29:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,699
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17941466
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AzcaSky/pseuds/AzcaSky
Summary: Changkyun escapes from the grasp of human that captured him. Humans, mere mortals with zero power but infinite greed. Humans, who used to be no more than feeder. Humans, who can't accept that they will never be superior than anything else.And apparently, humans who forget thatin the full moon, waterfolks have power.Changkyun wakes in the wrong water, but somehow he can breathe.





	In the moonlight, you have power

**Author's Note:**

> I know sirens and nymphs are supposed to be female, but I take creative liberty. Enjoy!

_In the daylight, everybody watches. But at night, it is too dark to see._

Changkyun struggles to catch his breath, running on legs he's not used to use, getting vines and thorns stuck everywhere on his barely covered body. He can sense beings, little birds disturbed from their slumber, small animals peering curiously, but none of those seems particularly threatening, except one. There's a pair of eyes waiting, looking, but he can also sense the distance. Too close to be prey, too far to be predator. He's not sure. So he shoulders on as moonlight illuminates the way, encouraged by the sound of stream just ahead.

The moment he steps into the water, Changkyun feels relieved, but there's a whole new alert in his head. The water is _wrong_. His head screams at him to get away but his body is just so tired. He throws off the cape covering him and jumps into the water.

Which, it turns out, is really, really _wrong_.

Like too light and too heavy all at once, and he's suddenly suffocated of too much air all around him to breathe in. He struggles to move upwards but his head feels like it might burst, and he just stops moving altogether, accepting darkness that engulfs the last rays of full moon.

 

When he wakes, the moon no longer shines. It's still fairly dark, but he recognizes the shy light of sunrise, recognizes the ultramarine air and the chill of mist on water. The water that still feels wrong. But right now, somehow, he can breathe.

Changkyun counts his breath to ten before attempting to move. He's underwater, laid down on a rock covered by slimy moss. The light filters through waterweeds and numerous plant particles. Everything looks lush green, muted and cold. When he swims around, he finds out that the floor bed is mud instead of sand.

He picks a handful into his hand, inspecting the way mud diffuses through water just like sand, but settles long after he disturbs it. Not only the water, everything in this new realm feels... odd.

Just then, he spots a movement to his left; a water reptile he doesn't recognize. On instinct, he purrs and leers at the reptile until it stops moving, and then, in a blink of eye, he snatches it and tore off its limb. Just when he's about to finish his meal, another being materializes right in front of him.

"You feed on flesh."

Changkyun wants to reply, but he's so blinded with the need to vore that he doesn't even deign the presence until after the reptile is all gone between his sharp teeth. Even then, his hunger is not sated, but at least the starvation is bearable; enough to have a conversation. "What of it?"

Apparently, Changkyun's body betrays him as he growls the syllables instead of speaking it, and the being flinches, a bit. The growl contains a little bit of ancient magic meant to attack, yet the being merely floats, unfazed.

"I am Kihyun, the naiad and protector of this water. Who are you?"

Kihyun's body is almost transparent in the lush green water, almost completely melding with it. Very different compared to Changkyun's translucent white skin and glistening scales of his tails, which stands out between muted colors of green and more green. But he supposes it is just as so, seen as Kihyun is the ruler of this water. In his own water, too, he doesn't look as out of place, even though he'd like to believe he still looks striking.

"I am Changkyun, a ruler of different water."

Kihyun tilts his head, not quite understanding, "If you rule over water, how come you cannot breathe?"

"I--" _don't know_ , he realizes. The air is headier but he's been breathing fine for awhile, and he still doesn't understand how he can do that while merely the night before he was suffocated out of his mind. He settles with, "The water is wrong."

"The water is never wrong," Kihyun floats closer to him in a way that is so unlike his kin; like Kihyun is not swimming but merely moving, like ripples of water reaching from one place to another, "Are you not blessed?"

He doesn't know what that means. "Did you make me breathe?"

It might have been his imagination, but Kihyun's body turns murky blue at the question, and he thinks it's the first blue he's seen since a long while, and it's beautiful. He misses blue. "I did. I blessed you but I don't understand why you'd need a blessing if you're also a ruler of water."

"I'm not a naiad," Changkyun gestures to his brightly colored tail, fluttering it slightly to emphasize his point, "I'm a siren."

"Oh."

Among the water dwellers, stories of each other circulates all around. The tales of kraken, of lake monsters, of kappas, of sea wyrms and water fairies are common talks. All water connects to each other, eventually, but water dwellers are commonly territorial beings, so it's not strange when most of the tales are something they cannot really comprehend. Between all those stories, sirens probably are the most well known.

Powerful creatures with wicked mind and even wicker voice. Creature who lures and entraps unfortunate beings that dare to get close. Creature who doesn't condemn all and any sin, who lies and preys indiscriminately, who becomes nightmare in the heart of children and adults alike, waterfolks or not.

But naiads; naiads are rare. Changkyun only ever hears the tales in bits and passing. Of a being made of water and essence of a little bit of everything. Naiads rarely show themselves off, and it's hard to find one. He never expects for naiads to be this beautiful; even more beautiful than the sirens brother and sisters he had back home, even more beautiful than the undines that proclaim they are the epitome of beauty among the realm.

So even if Kihyun might have had at least little notion on what Changkyun is, Changkyun has absolutely no idea what Kihyun is.

"You're beautiful." So he says, and bubbles form as Kihyun smiles, bright and pretty.

"And so are you, or so I've heard."

When Kihyun motions for him to follow, he doesn't hesitate.

-

They swim around the lake and even a bit around the stream that leads to it. The lake is not big—barely enough for a being to settle in, but not a family—let alone a choir.

"Do you occupy this realm alone?" Changkyun can't help but ask, after they've been swimming in and out of water for awhile.

"Alone? What do you mean?" Kihyun floats up and disperses into the morning mist, only to reappear right behind him, "I'm with all there is,"

Changkyun startles, instinctively jeers and claws, but there's nothing but dampness and remnants of laughter. "Don't kid with me, Protector of the Lake."

"Just Kihyun is fine," Kihyun smiles, and Changkyun doesn't understand how the naiad doesn't seem to fear him despite knowing exactly what he is capable of.

"Why aren't you scared of me?"

"Should I be scared of you?" Kihyun turns around to face him, his feet milimeters above the water, the tip barely touches the surface, creating small ripples that goes on forever. In that moment, Changkyun feels his chest constricts, and then he remembers the darkness, remembers the suffocation.

"No, I guess not."

The naiad smiles once more, cheeky and proud, but oh so pretty.

He's a siren in the hand of a naiad's mercy, but somehow Changkyun can't bring himself to mind. Not while Kihyun is the most beautiful being he has ever laid his eyes on, not while Kihyun blesses him air and water, and so generously gifts him life.

-

"I believe all beings have their place to be."

It's been days since Changkyun gets to this strange water, days in which Kihyun told him what to eat and not eat, and days of Changkyun simply drinking in the naiad's grace and beauty.

Changkyun hums, as he's prone to do whenever they talk, being careful to not let magic creeps into his voice lest it hurts the other. Even though by now he's aware his magic doesn't work on naiads.

"Where was your place, Changkyun?"

Changkyun stops himself enough to ponder for a few seconds before continuing to finish the particularly big fish in his hand. It tastes bland, as most of the creature here is, but he can't really complain of the taste when it fills his belly anyway.

"My choir live in the archipelago, in the middle of the ocean. It was bright blue and sunshine and hard coral, unlike here. I was the King. Or would be, had I not been here."

"Why were you here, then?"

Changkyun seethes with hate and rage so vile he almost wants to throw up before he remembers and collects himself, "Humans."

"Ah." Kihyun nods in understanding, like he has heard this story countless times. "You were captured?"

Changkyun laughs bitterly, "They forget that in full moon, I have power."

"Waterfolks blessings."

They both nod.

"Why don't I ever see human here?"

Kihyun closes his eyes and breathes in, and Changkyun suddenly feels _Kihyun_ all around him. _He's the water_ , he realizes.

"There are," Kihyun speaks, eventually, "But they are far. Humans can't live here."

Changkyun feels relieved before he even registers that he had been nervous. "I see."

"Don't worry, Ruler of the Sea," When Kihyun speaks again, Changkyun can still feel him in the water, and Kihyun's eyes sparkle blue, and it's even more beautiful than the clear blue of the sea he used to reside in. "You're brought here. So you belong here, for however long it takes."

-

The first time Changkyun sees an alligator, he whirls himself back so fast he nearly hits the large stones scattered around the bank.

The creature blinks its golden eyes, seemingly amused that it had caught Changkyun unaware. His heart beats loudly when it opens his mouth slightly, uncovering rows of pointed teeth. He almost sings when Kihyun suddenly materializes, holding his chest. There's magic seeping into his chest and his throat, and suddenly he loses his will to fight. If he wasn't still so terrified of the monster, he would be terrified by how easily Kihyun neutralizes him.

"It's alright, look," Kihyun touches the rough scale of the alligator, and it flutters its eyes close, and blows a bubble along with a low growl. It reminds him of starfishes that always unfurled when he came close. Maybe all waterfolks have a little resemblance, seawater or not. "He just wants to know."

"It-He... does he listen to you?" Changkyun waddles in warily, mostly curious but also afraid, because even though sea has its own fair shares of wyrms and krakens and deep seas wonder, there's nothing like this, nothing like a docile giant reptile that melts under the hand of a naiad. He puts a finger to the snout, close to the nose, struck by the texture of the massive creature.

"To me?" He should be afraid because Kihyun removes his hand to laugh, but a naiad's chuckle is like a flutter of bubble. It's full of pressure but free. Changkyun decides he likes Kihyun's laugh. "He doesn't listen to anyone."

So Changkyun reassures to himself that _it's okay, he can do this._ He concentrates on Kihyun's little encouraging smile, trying to conjure up the image of manta rays and little sharks back at home.

Feeling bolder, Changkyun moves his hand up to the top of its head. It opens its mouth slightly, its eyes watching him.

"I guess all waterfolk are a little bit similar. The seafolks doesn't listen to me either."

"Why, are they supposed to?"

Changkyun remembers his throne in the sea, now merely an empty chair that he will never get back to. One day, he had a kingdom. And when he woke up, he was a stranger stranded in foreign water.

"No, not really. They're just a bit silly sometimes. But they love me, so it's okay."

"You miss them, don't you?"

"How can I not?" The smell of salt on the air, the denseness of water, the wind, the storm, the songs and laughs; he misses it all. It's been pleasant here in the swarm so far but it is not home. Maybe it never will be.

"We'll get there, Changkyun. I promise. I will bring you there myself if I have to."

"You don't have to. But, thank you."

-

Kihyun warned him early on not to step too far outside the water. Sirens grow legs when they're not underwater, unlike merfolks or undines who are waterbound, but Changkyun in particular doesn't really enjoy walking on his legs. Even at home, as his choir leapt up to ships and explore the places human dwells in before eventually devoured them, Changkyun only laughed and sang, waiting for those foolish human to fall to his irresistible charm all on their own.

And the one time he succumbed to the desire and curiosity of human ships, he ended up being taken away. So, no, he's content being waterfolk, at least for now.

As naiads, Kihyun often leaves the lake, _to be with other else_ , he said, and Changkyun couldn't quite imagine what kind of thing that entails. But when he swims, he can feel the water pulses and he knows that Kihyun is always present, even if not at his usual form. It reassures him, so much that he lets his guard down sometimes.

And then, he meets Minhyuk.

"You really don't know what kind of thing you're capable of here, right?"

It was dark, and in the lake, without the moon, nothing lights the night. He was sitting on the bank, scratching moss off a particularly black round stone. There comes a looming darkness blacker than anything around it, and a pair of sparkling eyes the color of faded coral. He feels a smile, but he can't tell anything else.

"What?"

"I'm Minhyuk. It's a pleasure to meet you, Changkyun."

Minhyuk's smile is off, and in an instant Changkyun's head throbs painfully _. Minhyuk is danger. Stay away_. But he is rooted to the spot, glinting fin waddling uselessly in shallow water.

Minhyuk cackles, and then disappears as abruptly as his entrance.

"You better not listen to him, you know."

His headache subsides enough to recognize the different voice. This time, the creature before him is tall and willowy, like tree bark. A little _too_ like tree bark, actually, that it seems to have grown itself out of the countless tree roots covering the land. Its eyes blink slowly, looking at Changkyun's figure with something that feels a lot like disdain.

"And I should be listening to you?"

It raises its eyebrow, challenging, "Fair."

And then it occurs to Changkyun that he _knows_ the creature. _He_ was the pair of eye watching him from the distance, when he first entered the swarm. "It was you."

"I am Hyungwon, a dryad. I owe Kihyun, so I'll keep you save from Minhyuk. Just make sure you're always careful."

The gesture doesn't seem harmful, if a little bit condescending. "Um yeah, thanks?"

"You shouldn't let Minhyuk know you're not a naiad, you know."

"Would he hurt me if he knows?"

"No. Yes. Maybe." Hyungwon turns his head sideways, and there's veins similar to those of the trees. It is mesmerizing, in the similar way Kihyun's body of water is always mesmerizing. Changkyun supposes it's a nymph thing. He's not knowledgable with creatures who reside on land, but he knows enough to assume that Hyungwon is probably as powerful as Kihyun, a protector of his own land. "I wouldn't know, anyway."

"Would _you_ hurt me, now that you know I'm not a naiad?"

"I have known since the first time you step foot into this swarm. If I wished you harm, I would have done so." Hyungwon is cryptic, but this time it feels like he takes more time to think before answering.

"Thank you, then."

"No need to thank me yet. You're not out of danger, still."

With it, Hyungwon too, disappears into the darkness. Changkyun touches the nearby roots reaching the water, and murmurs _thank you for protecting me, anyways_. He feels the root pulsing, and he thinks he has gained a dryad's blessing.

 

-

When he retells the story to Kihyun, he is surprised that Kihyun then tells him that he's sort of acquaintances with the other two creatures.

"You're friends with them?"

"Yeah. Hyungwon in particular is important to me as much as I'm important to him. But Minhyuk... he's... a bit weird. He's a being that resides in darkness, instead of water like us or land like Hyungwon. I hope Minhyuk doesn't curse you."

Changkyun ponders over their strange meeting, the glint in Minhyuk's eyes, and the eyes with the color of faded coral. He was danger, but right then, there was nothing malicious out of him. It was just air... and aura.

"If he did, would you know?"

"I won't, but I believe you will?"

Changkyun feels the air around him, feels his chest expands and deflates as he inhales and exhales, feels the tip of his tail flitting in swirly little circle.  "Yeah, I will."

Kihyun smiles then, and takes his hand.

-

In this realm, naiads are gods. Kihyun maintains the wellbeing of everything that happens in the water, and even everything that makes use of the water. Including the vines and the trees; and Changkyun thinks that's why Hyungwon is forever indebted to Kihyun. He thinks about himself and his kingdom, how he was taught to rule instead of embrace. The sea was large, but all he did was lure ships into destruction, and he wonders since when did he enjoy such atrocities.

He doesn't even like human flesh that much.

"Can I go with you?"

Kihyun looks at him strange, a pinch of curiosity but otherwise mostly amusement.

"Do you want to?"

Changkyun nods, and they swim upstream, where there's a hill overlooking the plains, and the trees grow just a little bit taller. It gets tricky when the stream grows smaller, but Kihyun's body is made of water, he swims like he flows, and the river offers little resistance towards what it also is. Changkyun, however, is but a creature with flesh and bone, and it is with difficulty that he swims over stones and currents.

"Slow down," a tree branch lifts him, and suddenly there's feet in place of fin, and he walks on wobbly legs. "Kihyun has gone ahead. I'll show you the way."

Changkyun walks with trails of water, brushing his hand to any trees whenever he can. Hyungwon guides him through waft of flimsy moss and tender bushes, permit him passage through thick vines and thick roots.

When he arrives, Kihyun is already singing.

Kihyun sings tones of gentle winds and breezes, of soft caress of water and lulling mist. He sings towards the water, towards the fish, the stone, the mud, the alligators, the vines and trees and bushes, and even the sky. The universe listens to his voice and he blesses the universe.

Kihyun's voice is beautiful. Changkyun yearns, because his own voice is crooked and vile. Kihyun uses his voice to heal while he uses his to kill. Kihyun is dreamy. He is hideous. Changkyun wants to hide in shame but he also wants to stay, wants to watch.

When Kihyun reaches a particularly high notes, he reminds Changkyun of songs from his childhood, the songs he sang with his brothers and sisters, not for hunt, but for fun. He remembers how songs used to be all merry and light before they eventually grow up old enough to learn to seduce and entrap.

Trying to keep those feeling in mind, he tries to sound his voice. Match Kihyun's airy with his own timbre of deeper, darker voice.

 _Words of the Realm_  
_Releases our mind and our desire_  
_Of love, of disgrace_  
_As one_

 _Like loving morning smiles_  
_And water that rises along the lifes_  
_Would you have that smile tomorrow_  
_To share the warmth of millions hearts_

Changkyun sings, adding lyrics to the wordless songs. Somewhere along the way, it was Kihyun following him instead of otherwise. They finish together, looking at each other.

"Your songs have words," Kihyun looks at him with wonders. Absently, he thinks of the land never hears siren songs before, but he dismisses the thought because, _of course, why would they have to._

"Well, I notice."

"They have _powers_. Your words are magic."

"That's what I've been using to lure unsuspecting humans, I know."

"No, no." Kihyun frowns like he doesn't agree, "It's a blessing. Your words, just now, it's a blessing."

"It is?"

"You don't feel it?"

"No." Because even if it is, no one ever lives to tell the tale. He couldn't have known whether it really is a blessing or a curse.

"It is."

"It isn't." Hyungwon materializes, abruptly, like he always is. To his credit, Kihyun doesn't look surprised. Maybe because he can sense the water moving with Hyungwon. "It's a lull, and a trap. You know better, Kihyun."

Changkyun inwardly deflates, because for a second, he was hoping his voice can sound anything other than horrifying.

"After the fourth verse, yes." Kihyun jabs impatiently. "Or, would be. But right then, he didn't even repeat it. The words lost its meaning when it wasn't used the way it was supposed to. But the magic wasn't lost. Changkyun wills himself to bless instead of curse, and the song remembers."

He turns to Changkyun, expectant,

"Maybe this song was never meant to be a trap?"

Changkyun nods, then, embarrassed, "This is a childhood song, we sang it to play."

"The song of happiness. The pureness of childhood." Kihyun puts his finger to his lips, and his body gains bright blue like the color of the sky. "You have no idea how I yearn to meet little children."

"Don't you get to be with everything that be? Wouldn't that include offsprings?"

"I do get comfortable with various offsprings of animals. But never..." Kihyun looks away, and Changkyun thinks it's the first time he sees Kihyun looks abashed, "...never a sentient being."

"Ah."

"We nymphs are created when the realm was formed. So we simply _be_ , we don't have to learn, or grow, like most other creature does."

Changkyun ponders about that for a moment, and registers why Kihyun never seems fazed by his natural seductiveness.

Kihyun is made of water, but Changkyun is made of flesh and bone.

"Kihyun, look at me," Changkyun steps closer to where Kihyun floats, feet mere milimeter above the surface of the water. He steps into the shallow stream but wills his feet to stay feet as he reaches into Kihyun's face. "Let me do this."

Kihyun's face is as water as the rest of his body. He marvels at the way his translucent white skin makes such a difference on Kihyun's transparent ones, but right now, it feels like his hand belongs there. He traces his thumb over Kihyun's cheek, feeling the cool softness of water underneath. Up close like this, he feels the urge to trace his fingers all over the barely formed eyebrow, the round cheek, the slightly plump lips. And Kihyun's eyes—Changkyun feels like he can get lost in that blue forever.

When he moves his face closer, Kihyun flutters his eyes closed, like he knows, like he expects, but of course he doesn't, not really.

The kiss feels like touching a calm water right before a storm, like the droplets of dew in the earliest morning, like the thickest mist in the coldest days.

They pull away, then, and Kihyun's body turns a bright red the color of the latest sunset, and then his body sizzles—bubbles formed in between the water that is him until he—burst.

"What? Kihyun?" Changkyun panics, because, what if he killed Kihyun? What if he's the reason the beautiful naiad ceases to exist? What if his kisses is meant to be a tool to devour instead of caress, after all?

But he hears familiar laughter somewhere off, and then it nears, and Hyungwon is there, doubling over laughing.

"Never have I seen him so flustered before."

"What do you mean?" Changkyun looks around, "Is he still alive?"

"Feel him around you, silly. He's as alive as the water. And the water has never been livelier."

Changkyun tries to calm down and feel, and, sure enough, the water pulses in tingle of tiny waves and ripples. Kihyun is there, making the stream runs even faster than before. But then that means—

 _Oh_.

He lowers himself to the water, letting his legs forms back to glittering tail, then swishes it around, teasing. He lies down, breathes, and talks underwater, "So you're affected by me, after all, huh?"

Kihyun materializes out of nowhere, burning bright red that Changkyun can _feel_ the heat exuding from him. He thinks Kihyun unconsciously turns the stream a little bit warmer, too. Hyungwon just laughs all over again.

"Shut up, Hyungwon." Kihyun shoots the dryad a seething glare, but even Changkyun can tell that there's nothing even the littlest bit threatening in that gaze. "Why have you been watching us, anyway?"

"Chill, brother," Hyungwon creeps closer to the bank, smirking with his weird sinewy lips, "I'm just keeping an eye to your lover boy, because obviously you can't protect him while he has to walk on land to reach this place."

"He's not—" Kihyun was about to protest when he sees Changkyun, who only smirks and raises his eyebrow, and Kihyun flares bright anew, "Ugh, fine."

"This stays between us."

"Who would I tell anyway? Minhyuk?"

"Don't you _dare_ , Hyungwon."

Hyungwon laughs some more, but he eventually creeps away, leaving the two waterfolks alone.

And of course, they kiss again. They kiss until Kihyun's body gets scorching hot but even then they keep kissing. Changkyun holds him anyway, even though every touch is a new burn, even though every little gesture is searing him alive. He holds the pain and him, lets Kihyun's hands travel down his shoulder and his chest and his back. Because for every touch Kihyun gives him, Kihyun's own feature becomes sharper, more pronounced, like he's learning how a _body_ is supposed to be despite having been living for as long as the realm exists, and Changkyun can't get enough.

He touches strands of hair where there used to be glomps of water, feels the softness of his neck above what formed to be his collarbones, tastes sweet and salty where it used to be just water.

They kiss until the sun dips lower to the horizon, and Hyungwon has to call them to get back to the swarm, because _the land is not safe during the night_ , and they know by that he mostly means Minhyuk.

So they get back, hand in hand, Changkyun walking as close as he can to the stream while Kihyun floats above water, both giddy with newfound knowledge.

-

As a siren, Changkyun is a highly sexual being. Siren is, after all, an embodiment of lust and also deceit. So while he can't really lie to nymphs, it's practically impossible for him to ignore the attraction he had felt towards the naiad. When the infatuation becomes needs, it doesn't take long for him to tell Kihyun he wishes to do more.

Kihyun is shy, at first, but he's eager, also, because apparently it's the first time he feels so much he almost burst. ("Well, you did burst that first time," " _Shut. Up._ ") Because apparently the only other sentient being in the realm are Hyungwon and Minhyuk. And while Hyungwon is attractive, he's practically Kihyun's _brother_ and he doesn't feel passion quite as fierce as what he feels with Changkyun. And Minhyuk is an enigma he doesn't really want to deal with.

They learn slowly, but eventually, they settle on what works for the both of them. Kihyun teaches Changkyun patience and savor, while Changkyun teaches Kihyun pleasure and exhilaration.

And, just like that, a month passes.

-

"It's almost full moon again, isn't it?" Kihyun exhales, and Changkyun finds it adorable how Kihyun now is able to express wide variety of expression even to the littlest detail. He doesn't know how to stop falling in love with the beautiful being, and he thinks he never will. He's in too deep, literally and figuratively.

The water on the very bottom of the lake bears higher pressure, and Changkyun mentioned to Kihyun once how it felt a little more like home, that way. Since then, they spent a whole lot of time there, kissing and touching and making love.

"Yeah, I think so." This night there will be full moon, his instinct tells him. The water is already brimming with power, and even though it is the wrong water, he can feel it too, thrumming in his skin, waiting to be unleashed.

Kihyun pulls away from Changkyun's embrace to look at his eyes, "Then it's almost time for you to go home, right?"

At that time, Changkyun regrets ever teaching Kihyun expression because Kihyun's face betrays him, and Changkyun can see the sadness, can see how he doesn't want to let go. "Oh."

Suddenly, the notion of coming home doesn't sound as appealing anymore.

"You still want to go home, right?"

Changkyun wants to refuse, wants to stay in Kihyun's arms, wants so bad to feel every inch of new knowledge in Kihyun's skin, but the sea calls to him. Even here, far away in the middle of the land, he can hear the cry of the water he used to reside in. He can hear them chanting his name, looking for him. So he strengthens his heart, and says, "Yes."

Kihyun looks disappointed, and he has the right to be, but it's what was meant to be.

Changkyun was brought here, and then it is time to leave.

Kihyun understands this, more than Changkyun ever will. But it doesn't help the slight bitterness as they kiss the evening away, waiting for the full moon to rise to her place in the sky.

 

 

The change comes gradually, and Changkyun feels every minute of it, how his power raises almost a hundredfold, and he feels like he can curse the universe if he wants to. He doesn't, of course.

He just wears his old tattered cape around him, the one Hyungwon kept save. Minhyuk appeares in between the blackness of the trees, and eyes him with wonder.

"I _know_ you're gonna be wonderful." Minhyuk whispers aloud, in awe at how raw power drapes itself around the siren. Right now, Changkyun doesn't feel afraid of Minhyuk at all. He feels like he can defeat dozens of Minhyuks and stubs his existence if he wants. But he doesn't.

When he stands again, he has one single purpose, and he's going to fulfill it before the night ends.

He shares a lingering kiss with Kihyun, where their lips simply touch, where their hands find each other's. Kihyun smiles, then, understanding, and with a final bow, Changkyun bids him goodbye.

Hyungwon silently shifts the trees and Minhyuk laid him a path of darkness, and he knows it's the highest blessing and respect he could have gain from both creatures as he trudges out the swarm; out the forest.

And never looks back.

 

 

 

It's three months later when Kihyun feels the vines and roots around the lake pulse with excitement, and Hyungwon refuses to materializes no matter how many times Kihyun calls for him. He just shakes his head and sings his blessing, because he knows Hyungwon is alright, just having a little bit of attitude. It's not the first time Hyungwon hides things from him, even though he always finds out one way or another, eventually. But it's the first time he feels _excitement_ instead of mild interest or somber displeasure.

 _Birds, fly to me_  
_So I can come a step closer to you_  
_Please, make a bridge that connects us_  
_I think I'm gonna hurt and hurt again_  
_I wanna see you again and again_

Kihyun is surprised, even though he knows he shouldn't, because there he is, singing along to him on the bank of the lake he first found him.

_If you receive the warmth that was us  
I hope you'll be filled with the feelings of those times_

Kihyun sings with him, to the song full of blessing and generosity and love, and it's the most beautiful thing he ever witnesses.

They finish the song together, in each other's arms, looking at each other with the purest feeling they could muster.

"I'll teach you tear," Changkyun reaches towards Kihyun's hand, places it just below his left eye. Just then, a tear falls, and it submerges into Kihyun, and then into the water that there is. "A siren's tear, is worth a thousand blessing."

Kihyun stares, at a loss of words, until Changkyun reaches for him again, this time kissing him, softly gently. More tears running down his face. Kihyun mirrors him, and then they're both crying; of a home that no longer was, of a fate that means to be.

"I'm in love with you." Maybe Kihyun had been right all along, and the water was never wrong; it was just different. And maybe Changkyun will have to live forever in the naiad’s mercy, breathing with his blessing and hunt in the water that he is, but it will be beautiful. He will sing blessings and praise, and with that he will bless the water, the land, the everything that be. Kihyun will have to teach him a lot of things but he will teach Kihyun too in return, and maybe someday they can go together, to the sea that holds thousands of mysteries, archipelago of broken ships and nightmares.

But right now, all he wants is to kiss Kihyun until they’re both overwhelmed with raw feelings and raw power, and they meld together into something more pure and beautiful than the breeze upon them.

"I'm in love with you, too."

 

**Author's Note:**

> The song Changkyun sang in the beginning was Chrisye -[Sabda Alam](https://open.spotify.com/track/6Jl3fWkZd6LRTWCHvTPRp8) (Words of the Realm). It is by no means a cheery songs, but the lyrics somehow fits to the story. And yes, the last song they sang together is Monsta X - If Only.  
> Thank you for reading!


End file.
